


I Guess You Need Me

by jongkuto



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: Domestic Violence, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-30
Updated: 2018-08-31
Packaged: 2019-07-04 15:17:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15843948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jongkuto/pseuds/jongkuto
Summary: Ninomiya and Yoshitaka are classmates. Ninomiya have always found Yoshitaka as a girl who is too oblivious and overly-enthusiastic, but through a few incidents, he found out the reason she acted in this way: domestic abuse.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was a short fic I wanted to do before school starts. Plus, this ship has always been my favourite non-fictional M/F ship. If you seen similar works to this, it's simply a coincidence!

I had a female classmate in high school.

There was no way denying that she was pretty. No matter she had short or long hair, everyone around her commented on how beautiful she was.

However, her personality made most people stay away from her.

Sure, her looks were envied by most, but she was awfully clueless about changes around her, and had this awkward sense of justice.

She knew damn well that she was unable to win a fight against a bully. Hell, sometimes she forgot that she declared a fight against the bully and ended up getting beat up badly.

She was always seen with band-aids, wearing a cardigan and stockings to school most of the time. Oddly enough, she never stopped smiling and was still that crazy airhead everyone knew she was.

She never learnt from her mistakes. Truly a stubborn girl.

Her name was Yoshitaka Yuriko. 

She sat near me, and I constantly saw her drawing on her notebook. It was usually people crying or bursting out of laughter. Sometimes there was this weird-looking giraffe she liked to doodle from time to time.

Yoshitaka also seemed to not mind not having friends. She did everything with her own ways, by her own pace. Well, that was something I related to as well. I would never want someone to interrupt my gaming sessions.

.

.

.

For some odd reasons, some boys from next class really enjoyed getting on my nerves. Today was no different.

Like the usual, they poked fun at me playing video games alone during lunch. I tried to ignore them, but they saw me as vulnerable and took my phone away.

“Give me back my phone!” I yelled.

“It must be pathetic to only enjoy games on your phone,” one guy said.

“Well, at least I’m not walking around laughing at someone else’s hobbies like a loser,” I snapped back.

They pretended that they didn’t hear what I said, and messed up my gameplay.

I felt my blood boiling.

But they were too strong for me to physically resist them.

“What are you guys doing?”

A loud, quirky voice came out of nowhere. That voice sounded familiar.

“It’s the weird girl from Class B!” one guy yelled out.

It was, as expected, Yoshitaka. She still have rice over her mouth. And was that stain on her shirt some sort of steak sauce?

“Don’t laugh at his gaming habits!” Yoshitaka said, pointing at the guys.

“I think you better clean up yourself first, Ma'am,” another guy replied.

“Ah, yes,” Yoshitaka wiped the rice away from her mouth with her hand.

“How about a showdown?” Yoshitaka requested.

“A fight? I don’t like going easy on girls, you know.”

“I don’t care. Bring it on!”

The guys dumped my phone on the floor, and rushed towards Yoshitaka.

Thank god that my phone screen did not crack.

Yoshitaka, on the other hand, could not successfully fight off the guys. After all, they were at least a foot taller than her.

She emerged from the fight, all bruised up and with cuts on her hands and cheek.

“I can’t believe how stupid you are,” I spoke up.

“Stupid? Is serving justice stupid? No, it’s not.”

“You’re stupid for fighting men who are at least a foot taller than you.”

“At least I freed you from their teasing. Speaking of which, what kind of games are you into, Ninomiya-kun?”

I did not want to answer her.

She peeked at my phone.

“I played this game before! I wasn’t good at it though.”

“Don’t care too much about games. You have to get bandaged up,” I sighed.

“Will do!”

Yoshitaka ran away from me, but came back after a few minutes.

“Where is the infirmary again?” she asked.

I sighed again.

“Walk straight, turn right, and you’ll see it.”

“Thank you!”

I had always wondered, how did this girl manage to survive all these fights without breaking any of her bones?

I guess she had guts after all.

.

.

.

The class decided to go on a camping trip during spring break. Even our homeroom teacher decided to come with us.

Luckily, it wasn’t wild camping. We had rooms to stay in, and two people had to share a room. Everyone paired up, some pairs were boys, some pairs were girls and there were a few pairs of a boy and a girl.

I did not care about sharing a room with anyone.

Yoshitaka, on the other hand, tried to ask others to pair up with her. All to no avail.

“Are you all paired up?” the teacher asked. Everyone but me and Yoshitaka nodded.

“Miss, I don’t have a roommate!” Yoshitaka said, receiving glares from other classmates.

“Well, it looks like everyone paired up, Yoshitaka…”

“I think Ninomiya-kun don’t have a roommate yet,” Yoshitaka said softly.

S-she wasn’t thinking of…

“I see. Then you can share a room with him,” the teacher instructed.

It really had to be like this at this moment, huh?

Yoshitaka walked next to me.

“Hey,” she greeted me.

“Oh, hi,” I said back.

After this awkward session of room distributions, the class had different activities and played games together. I was not particularly an outdoors person, but I had to admit, these games were fun. I even successfully tricked my classmates, in which they dissed me for that.

Yoshitaka was especially happy today. She knew that most of the class found her weird and unpleasant in some ways, yet she continued to smile and laugh so much. It was either she was a complete airhead, or...you know what? She was definitely oblivious about how others think about her.

Night fell quickly. Everyone headed for a shower after a day full of fun and games. I had a shower and played games on my phones. Speaking of which, Yoshitaka was taking awfully long.

Nonetheless, she came back soon.

“This is my mattress,” Yoshitaka said.

“It doesn’t have your name on it,” I replied back.

She walked closer and kicked me out of the mattress.

“Hey!”

“It’s my spot. You’re sleeping there. I even arranged your mattress for you!”

“Hmph. Fine.”

Yoshitaka and I decided the positions of our mattresses.

.

.

.

“P-please don’t.”

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

“It’s all my fault.”

Yoshitaka never stopped talking in her sleep. She kept tumbling around in her mattress and blanket too. I noticed this during midnight, after I returned to the room after a trip to the restroom.

I tried falling back sleep again, and it was working, but then…

“Please don’t!”

Yoshitaka suddenly sat up and screamed, with cold sweats coming from her forehead.

“Good. You startled me,” I said, displeased that I was not able to fall back asleep again.

“I’m sorry, Ninomiya-kun,” she replied, her voice softer that usual.

She only stared at her hands, which were grabbing the blanket firmly. 

“Go to sleep. It’s late,” I said.

She obediently lay down on her mattress and tried to sleep again.

This was the first time I noticed something unusual about Yoshitaka. She had nightmares in her sleep, and it was always similar ones. Well, I could tell from her sleep-talking, which often involved her apologizing for something. This persisted for a few nights and it was something I could never get out of my mind ever since.

However, during the day, Yoshitaka was happy as ever, though the classmates gave nasty remarks on her over-the-top enthusiasm.

This was very weird to me.

What I observed that this overly positive Yoshitaka had a more melancholic side to her, but I couldn’t put my hands on what was actually going on in her mind.


	2. Chapter 2

Ever since spring break ended, Yoshitaka missed school more and more frequently. I thought that she was sick from time to time, but she never looked sick in any way.

The things she drew in her notebook were different. Well, she still drew that weird giraffe which was somewhat a trademark of hers. Apart from that, it was more on the scary side. Ghosts, dark clouds, everything. Sometimes she scribbled weird lines with a red ball pen on top of her drawings.

She was still cheerful and oblivious as always, truly a juxtaposition to her drawings.

Sometimes, I wondered why I always noticed the little things about her. After witnessing her having nightmares, I became more and more concerned about her.

“It’s love,” my sister told me.

It wasn’t love. Feelings were stupid.

I would have known that it was love if my heart started to beat rapidly when I saw her. But it didn’t. However, I could never stop looking at her when she was near me.

Anyways, the teacher grew suspicious about Yoshitaka’s frequent absence, but not a single person came towards her about the girl’s whereabouts.

I decided to investigate a little. But first, a trip to that ramen store I liked going to.

Everything was about the same, but there was a new worker there.

I sat by the bar table so I could see who that new worker was. It was a girl.

Upon closer inspection, I found out that it was her.

So that was what Yoshitaka had been doing when she missed school.

“What are you doing here? It’s against the school rules to work during school hours,” I said.

“I-I don’t know what you’re saying,” Yoshitaka said, trying to change her voice (and failed).

“Don’t lie to me. I know it’s you, Yoshitaka,” I said softly, but with a more firm tone.

“Hey, Ninomiya-kun,” she replied back, looking nervous.

She took my order and we continued to talk.

“I haven’t told anyone about that, but my family is currently in debt and I’m trying my best to help them,” Yoshitaka said.

It was the first time she was so sure about anything, really.

This was an unseen side of her. I have mistaken her as a carefree, reckless girl who had no worries when I first knew her.

“I see. But skipping school to work isn’t good for you,” I said.

“It doesn’t matter anymore. If I don’t work enough, I won’t get enough money.”

She was right. Especially in her case, she had to pay off debts.

“You’re breaking the school rules. You’re clear about the consequences, no?” I asked her.

Yoshitaka nodded and continued to work.

I had a bowl of ramen and left. As I walked out of the door, I saw the class’ representative near the store, seemingly stalking Yoshitaka.

And I was right.

The next day, Yoshitaka came back to school, and was immediately escorted to the principal’s room. What I heard was the class representative told the teacher about Yoshitaka skipping school for work.

Yoshitaka was suspended for three days.

I saw her, looking defeated, walking in the classroom after a talk with the principal.

She was still a girl shrouded in mystery.

.

.

.

One night, I was out buying drinks for myself and my sister at a nearby convenience store. While I was walking home, I spotted Yoshitaka, near a small stream, drawing in her notebook. She was using her phone for lightning. Oddly, she was in her school uniform.

Curious about her drawings, I approached her and glanced at her notebook. She was drawing the giraffe over and over again.

“There aren’t any giraffes here,” I said.

“You startled me!” Yoshitaka said.

“Why are you still here? It’s late.”

“I just want to feel the light breeze here after work.”

“You’re still working?”

“Of course! Money is important.”

“I know, but working a night shift...after working in that ramen store…”

“Hm?”

“Don’t you...get tired or something like that?”

“It’s tiring, but it’s better than going home.”

She said the last sentence in an especially soft tone.

“You don’t want to go home?” I asked.

Yoshitaka looked down onto her notebook.

“Yeah.”

“Why is that?”

“I don’t want to tell you.”

“Tell me.”

“No.”

“Tell me.”

“No.”

I’d realize that she would never open up if I keep repeating those words.

“Speaking of which, why do you always pick up fights with others?” I asked, trying to change the subject of the conversation.

“I don’t want people to get hurt because of the smallest things about them,” Yoshitaka answered.

“That’s a good motive, but you’re an idiot who thinks that you can win a fight against these bullies.”

“I know, but I don’t like others getting hurt!”

“And it’s okay for you to get hurt instead?”

“If that can help, yes.”

“Do you...get hit a lot?”

Yoshitaka stared at me with a blank expression. She paused for a few seconds.

“I do.”

As expected.

“Well, it all happened a few years ago, when my mother fell ill and passed away. I was not the only one devastated, so was my father. He worked hard and took care of me since then, but a while ago, something went wrong.”

Despite little lightning, I could see her expression becoming more dull.

“He started...drinking a lot. Said it was stress-relieving and such. Then he started hitting me out of nowhere. Now he doesn’t have a job and only stay at home.”

“He hates seeing me. He said that I’m useless. He could never care about what I’m doing. I can’t even tell him that I’m being suspended.”

“I think, if I keep smiling, keep entertaining myself, I’d forget about this. But it’s not working. All I get is my heart, hurting even more than before.”

For the first time, I saw Yoshitaka being visibly upset. More importantly, crying.

Instinct kicked in. I gave her a pat on the shoulder and handed her tissue to wipe her tears away.

“You’re such an idiot! You should’ve never kept this to yourself! You have to tell someone else about this!” I said.

“Absolutely not! Don’t tell anyone about this! It’s going to be a burden to others,” she replied.

“It’s anything but a burden. You have to think about yourself sometimes! Don’t act like you can handle this all by yourself!” I cried out.

She was so stubborn.

“I-I don’t think you know that my classmates, they talk badly of me. I heard it when we played games on the camping trip...”

“I’ve heard some. So what about that? There’s always someone who’ll listen to you! In this way, they can help you!”

“No one has ever done that to me! Who would care about me anyways?”

She really did think so lowly about herself.

This explained so much about her odd behaviour and things related to it. Perhaps, the scribbles with the red ball pen was a way to release her sadness.

For a reason, my heart felt like a tangled knot. I could not bear seeing a girl cry. I could not.

“I do!”

I immediately gave her a reassuring hug.

“H-huh?” Yoshitaka was shocked.

“If you keep hiding this, your suffering would never stop.”

“But I don’t want you to suffer along with me! My father’s extremely destructive when he’s drunk. Plus, it was the first time someone had ever been so nice to me! You don’t deserve to be involved in this!”

“Well, you don’t deserve to be beaten up for no reason either!”

“N-Ninomiya?”

I got carried away and yelled at her.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. T-thanks for listening to me anyways.”

“Yoshitaka. I can help you with this. As long as you’re willing to tell someone else about this.”

“I will.”

With her agreement, I called my mother. She allowed me to bring Yoshitaka into my place to stay for one night.

“Let’s go,” I stood up and dragged her upright as well.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“My home. You’re staying there, and away from that bastard in your house.”

Obediently, Yoshitaka followed me.

I suddenly felt someone grabbing my hand.

“I-I’m scared,” she explained.

It was her holding my hand.

“Don’t be. We’re arriving soon. I live nearby.”

.

.

.

Arrived at my house, my mother and sister welcomed Yoshitaka warmly. They prepared some snacks for her. My sister even borrowed clothes for her to wear.

As she agreed on this, Yoshitaka explained her problems with an alcoholic father to my mother.

Meanwhile, my sister and I sat on the couch, in an effort to cause minimum disturbance to the two.

“Is this the girl you’ve been noticing?” she asked. I nodded.

“Ooooh. It’s odd that you’re willing to help her with her problems. You must be in love with her!” she continued.

“Maybe,” I said bluntly.

I should’ve stopped lying to myself and admit that the reason I took peculiar detail of her actions was because I liked her.

To be honest, I admired her sense of justice and her odd guts. I could never get into a fight with anyone.

I saw my mother giving her a hug.

Yoshitaka walked towards me.

“Thank you so much,” she thanked me.

“No problem.”

Yoshitaka stayed in the guest room for the night.

.

.

.

Apparently, that night was the last day of her suspension. The following morning, I went to school with her. By the school gate, a man knocked me down.

“How dare you take away Yuriko like that?”

“Why are you here, dad?” Yoshitaka asked, frightened.

I figured out that this man was her father.

“You didn’t return home last night! And I can’t believe that you’re dating behind my back.”

“I’m not dating! I’m just-”

Bang.

Her father smashed his beer bottle onto her arm. The bottle shattered into pieces, and a piece of glass pierced through her skin. Her arm started to bleed.

The other students, reasonably scared, rushed into the school campus. One concerned student called the security guard. The guard came and held the drunk man down.

While the security guard dialed for the police, a teacher came and called an ambulance for Yoshitaka. I followed her to the hospital.

Her wound was quickly treated, and nurses told me and the teacher that she was fine.

Police officers soon came in, and informed Yoshitaka about her father’s status. He was arrested.

Many things happened afterwards. Even I was taken in for questioning.

However, the most important thing was that Yoshitaka was finally free from her suffering.

.

.

.

Fast forward to summer. Yoshitaka returned to her enthusiastic self and was still this girl with the same, weird sense of justice. She constantly lose fights, but her spirit was not defeated in any way.

She told me that she was living with her aunt now, and she cooked the best hamburger patties. I was interested, and I got to try it when she brought me to her new place.

Others still talk badly of her weird personality, but it looked like she did not care.

Seeing her being doused with such happiness made me happy as well.

One more thing, I confessed my feelings to her, which was the weirdest and most embarrassing thing I had ever done. Despite that, she agreed to date me in a heartbeat.

Sure, she was stupid and oblivious. That did not mean she was a horrible person. Yoshitaka was the most amazing person I have ever encountered. We argue from time to time, but it was simply trivial problems.

Feelings were not a stupid thing after all, I could only say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally finished this. Looks like I made the romance a side plot. Whoops. Anyways, thanks for reading and I'm sorry to disappoint you :)


End file.
